On Thursday, a spokesperson for the United Nations emphasized the “crucial need” of acquiring additional funds to address the funding deficit in order to rescue the Safer oil tanker located along the Red Sea coast of Yemen.
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On Thursday, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands organized a fundraiser event in support of the United Nations’ Safer project, resulting in a total pledged amount of $5.6 million dollars. During a media briefing, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, reported that there has been an allocation of a certain amount of financial resources.
The United Nations has issued a plea to the global community to provide assistance in closing the existing funding gap of 23.8 million dollars for the emergency phase, as stated by Haq.
The Safer tanker, a vessel of 47 years’ history that has been anchored off the coast of Yemen and has not undergone maintenance since 2015 due to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, has significantly deteriorated to a point where there is an imminent threat of explosion or disintegration. Such an event could potentially lead to catastrophic environmental ramifications in the immediate region.
#UN conference aims to raise final funds for #Yemen #Safer #oil tanker operation
The #UnitedNations on #Thursday aims to raise the final $29 million needed to start salvaging 1.1 million barrels of oil from a decaying vessel moored … More : https://t.co/Ma3hPHtrPS pic.twitter.com/pmbUoWttpX
— YemenOnline (@Editoryemen)
May 4, 2023
In March, the United Nations Development Programme procured the vessel “Nautica” from Belgian shipping corporation Euronav, as a component of an emergency operation to extract more than one million barrels of oil from the deteriorating Safer tanker. It is anticipated that the maritime vessel will reach Yemen in the initial phase of May.
Based on Haq’s statements, an additional funding of 19 million dollars is imperative for the second phase of the United Nations-managed mission to prevent an impending hazardous oil spill in the Red Sea.
“It is urgent that this gap is closed to successfully implement the operation,” Haq said.”
While we appreciate the contributions received so far, there is a crucial need for the funds to allow us to complete the task that we have begun,” he added.
